Colonial School District approves calendar revision, transportation contracts and routine business

The Colonial School District Board of School Directors approved a slate of routine consent items and several operational contracts at its Sept. 18 board meeting.

The board unanimously approved minutes and financial reports for August 2025, accepted recommended personnel and extracurricular contracts, confirmed two student representatives, and approved a revision to the 2025–26 K–12 calendar designating Aug. 20, Aug. 21 and Nov. 4 as activity days. The board also approved transportation contracts and accepted donations and field trip requests.

Why it matters: the calendar revision and transportation contracts affect student schedules and daily operations for the coming school year; personnel and extracurricular approvals complete hires and assignments staff presented as ready for the year.

Most significant votes and approvals

- Minutes and financial reports: The board approved minutes for agenda items 3b–3g and financial reports listed as items 4B–4L for August 2025. No roll-call tallies were given on the record; the motions passed by voice vote.

- Personnel and extracurricular contracts: The board approved the personnel report and extracurricular contracts listed in agenda items 7a–7c. The motion included the standard condition that appointments are subject to valid credential, employment verification and state-mandated requirements.

- Student representatives: Administration recommended two student representatives for board service; the board moved to accept the recommendation and approved the appointments (nominees identified in the agenda as Willie and Ariane).

- Policies (first reading): The board approved first readings of three policies: Policy 101 (mission statement, vision statement, shared values), Policy 330 (overtime), and Policy 702 (gifts, grants and donations). Committee review dates of Sept. 2 and Sept. 8 were noted for those policies.

- Calendar revision: The board approved a revision to the 2025–26 K–12 calendar designating Aug. 20, Aug. 21 and Nov. 4 as activity days. A district staff member explained that activity days may be counted toward instructional time when the district uses them for activities such as teacher conferences, curriculum writing and staff development, and that the district intends to meet the statutory requirement of 180 days and 990 hours of instruction.

- Transportation contracts and reimbursements: The board approved multiple transportation arrangements for the 2025–26 school year, including: a contract with Saint Joseph's Preparatory School at a rate of $11.07 per Colonial student per day for services through 06/30/2026; a mileage reimbursement arrangement with Carolyn Iver at the current IRS rate (recorded in the motion as $0.70 per mile) effective Aug. 25, 2025 through Aug. 31, 2026; and supplemental contracts with Superior Bus Service and ALC Schools, LLC to provide additional bus services to address a nationwide bus shortage. Administration noted the supplemental contracts do not commit the district to any upfront costs and that the district will be billed only when services are used.

- Field trip and donations: The board approved a planned trip for PW High School orchestra students to New York City to visit Carnegie Hall and attend a performance, and accepted a $1,000 donation from Liberty Chevrolet to support the Colonial athletic program. A separate donation from Berkeley Chevrolet for CMS athletics was discussed in committee and appears on the agenda as information.

Board discussion and context

Board members asked routine clarifying questions on several items. The transportation contracts drew brief discussion about the nationwide bus shortage and the district's approach of contracting supplemental providers only when needed. No formal roll-call vote totals were recorded in the public transcript for the motions; each motion was followed by the standard “All in favor?” voice vote and recorded as approved on the record.

What’s next

The approved first-read policies will return for subsequent board action according to the board’s policy review process. The supplemental transportation contracts will be activated as needed when the district requires services beyond primary providers. The district will implement the activity days as part of the 2025–26 calendar while maintaining the required instructional hours.